Bikram Yoga Decatur

Take a look at the shoulders in this image of Yoga Asana Champion Kasper van den Wijngaard as he moves into Standing Bow Pulling Pose.

Do you see what we mean when we say to start this posture by saying, "arm up in front of you, chin close to the shoulder"? Kasper's shoulders are in alignment even before he comes forward. Also notice how his right hip isn't turning out to the side.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that because Kasper is an advanced practitioner this kind of alignment isn't possible for you in your average body.

Click the picture to see a larger animated image of Kasper as he moves into the posture.

Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimothanasana is the sanskrit name for the posture we call Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose, but there are other possible translations that come to mind: Slip Sliding Away Pose; Wishbone Pose; The Split. You know what I'm talking about... "take a BIG step to the right, four feet minimum."

One of the challenges for many beginners is that the four foot step quickly becomes four and a half feet, five feet, five and half, oh no, almost six feet apart and still sliding! Adding to the frustration is the insistence of the instructor that what you're experiencing is intentional and that it offers an opportunity to work on developing inner thigh strength (don't they realize that telling you they're called "adductor muscles" doesn't make it any easier?). Oh, right, making it easier isn't in their job description...

Obviously the main reason for the sliding feet is a lack of inner thigh strength but there's another reason and you're standing on it. Chances are you're standing on a freshly washed and dried towel (or mat, if you use the cloth variety). That's great but it's also a major cause of your struggle in this pose. The drier and fluffier your towel is the more slippery it's surface will be. You want it to be clean, of course, but if you take it out of the dryer before it's completely dry -- or better still, air dry it -- it's surface will be a little more coarse and much less slippery.

It won't stop us from driving you crazy with our "it's supposed to be hard" admonitions but you might find yourself being able to focus on other parts of this posture instead of simply struggling to keep from sliding into a full split.

Dieting can impair your body's ability to fight off viruses so flu season is not the time to try it. If you're wanting to work off some holiday over-indulgences all you have to do is eat a normal, well balanced diet and exercise.

We're here. You're ready. What are you waiting for?

When I was in the Bikram Yoga teacher training program Bikram talked a lot about celebrities and athletes who practiced at his studio, one of whom, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, brought his whole family to the studio. I've heard that Jabbar's son went so far as to become a certified instructor and later won second place in the International Yoga Asana Championship (no link because I can't find any). Abdul-Jabbar is inarguably one of the most well-known and respected athletes of all time. He's in his fifties and retired as a professional athlete but he still practices yoga daily. And he blogs for the LA Times. And in a recent blog entry he has some inspiring words about yoga, including Bikram Yoga. I've pulled an excerpt below in which he offers some encouraging advice for those just getting started. The article is titled, "Fit after 50: Staying flexible with yoga," but his suggestions are appropriate for any age.

1. Be consistent. Any new endeavor requires a period of commitment. At first, you may feel awkward or self-conscious, but promise yourself that you’ll stick with it for two months. At the same time, to receive the most benefits, you’ll need to practice yoga at least three times a week. 2. It’s not a competition. As a beginner, your body needs a period of adjustment as it adapts to new demands. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits just because you see others able to do what you can’t. We don’t throw the teen that just got his driver’s license into the Indy 500. Take your time. 3. Practice with a friend. It’s easier to keep motivated if you have someone you work out with. So, if you intend to take a yoga class at your fitness club, or practice at home with a DVD, see if you can get a friend to practice with you.

• Do not practice immediately after a meal. A light healthy snack such as fruit, yogurt or nuts is advisable an hour or two beforehand but you won't be comfortable if you practice with a full stomach. Food is fuel and anyone who exercises after a long period of fasting is likely to see their blood sugar drop to an unhealthy level.
• Symptoms of low blood sugar can include: nausea, nervousness, cold/clammy skin. a rapid heart rate, numbness, irritability, blurred vision, headache, weakness, excessive fatigue. To avoid these symptoms, in addition to plenty of water, your body needs carbohydrates for energy and to avoid fatigue.
• If you practice very soon after waking it's fine to do so on an empty stomach providing your diet the day before was sufficiently healthy in quality and quantity. Even then it may be wise to eat a small healthy snack immediately upon rising.
• Carbohydrates are best obtained in complex form from fruits, vegetables and grains. Foods to avoid before class are sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, pasta or breads made from white flour, candy or soda.
• If you practice in the afternoon or evening, make sure you eat a healthy lunch 2-4 hours beforehand.
• If you suspect your blood sugar level has dropped during class, please stop and rest. If the symptoms don't go away after a few minutes you may need to leave the room. If necessary, you can ask the teacher for some orange juice (we don't sell orange juice but we keep a couple bottles in the fridge just in case).

Since we're entering the season of high heat and humidity I thought it might be beneficial to talk a little about sweat.

The body is approximately 60% water. The blood is mostly water and is used to distribute oxygen, nutrients, hormones and other substances to cells as well as remove metabolic byproducts (not toxins* as is commonly thought). Water is used to cushion the spine and brain and acts as a kind of shock absorber to prevent injury. Water is a critical component of our body's cooling system (through evaporation of the sweat). The electrolyte components of water regulate nerve and muscle function, blood acid balance and the amount of fluid in our cells. The body regulates the levels of all substances such as minerals, trace elements and electrolytes and so some of these are naturally eliminated through the sweat and eliminatory systems.

The primary purpose of sweating is to regulate body temperature. Sweat transfers heat from inside the body to the skin where it is released into the air through evaporation. The effect of vigorous exercise in a hot room is an increase in the amount of sweat which may therefore result in the elimination of more minerals and electrolytes -- simple dehydration. A healthy diet with plenty of water intake is probably sufficient for most people to maintain appropriate levels of electrolytes and minerals but if excessive sweating leaves you feeling any of the following symptoms during or after class you should certainly increase your daily water intake but you may also benefit from taking electrolyte supplements: excessive thirst, fatigue; headache; dry mouth (or sticky saliva); decreased urination; muscle weakness; dizziness. I favor the convenience of Emergen-C brand supplements but a good homemade solution is to mix a little sea salt and fresh lemon juice in a glass of water.

And now a word about sweating and body odor. Sweat itself has no odor. The odor from sweating results from the interaction of the sweat with bacteria that lives on the skin. Regular bathing with soap and water helps reduce the amount of bacteria in the skin and therefore may reduce or eliminate most body odors. A common odor in the sweat of some people who exercise vigorously is ammonia. Ammonia is a natural component of sweat but it’s usually too dilute to be noticed. A strong ammonia odor may indicate a high protein diet in which case it might be wise to increase your dietary intake of low-glycemic carbohydrates such as fruits (most), legumes, whole grains, certain starchy vegetables (try eating an apple or a small amount of unsweetened oatmeal an hour before class). A very strong ammonia odor that persists over time could also indicate liver dysfunction in which case a visit to the doctor is advised.

* When people speak of toxins being eliminated through the sweat they are -- whether they know it or not -- referring to natural byproducts of metabolism. These eliminated elements might be considered waste products but, by definition, they are not toxins.

Craig Villani is one of Bikram's senior instructors and the Director of Education for the Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Program. He's got an article posted on a site called, Find Bliss, that provides a concise overview of the philosophy behind Bikram Yoga. Like the Bikram Series itself, the article is well suited for beginners -- i.e. those with little or no knowledge of or experience with yoga -- but it also contains some insights for current practitioners who wish to deepen their understanding of the Bikram method.One of the most misunderstood and sometimes controversial aspects of Bikram Yoga is the emphasis on discipline. If you've ever been to a Bikram studio, including ours, you will be familiar with the frequent admonitions to, "be on your mat and ready to practice on time," "don't leave the room," "don't drink water during the first four postures," "be still in between the postures," and so on. These are not arbitrary directives and they speak to the primacy of the mental aspects of a hatha yoga practice. In his article Craig illustrates this by citing five steps [that] are woven into the fabric of the classroom experience:

1. Faith
2. Self-control or moral discipline
3. Determination or will-power
4. Concentration
5. Patience

He also describes the intentions behind a classical hatha yoga practice:

Classical yoga asanas were originally developed with the intention of holistic integration, affecting positive change in all bodily systems by addressing their energetic roots. Hatha yoga, when practiced properly, should not damage the body. The primary focus of true hatha yoga is to heal and maintain the physical body through balancing the latent potential for strength and flexibility, ultimately leading to the experience of a happier, healthier life. After all, the motivation underlying the practice of asana is for the aspirant to receive the unique physical, mental and emotional benefits associated with the expression of each posture. Those who insist upon seeing the posture as the object of their practice may needlessly continue to injure their bodies for the sake of performance. In Bikram Yoga, the emphasis is placed upon the healing benefits attained through maintaining depth of expression relative to proper application of form. Thus, the posture is never seen as the object -- the body is the object.

It is from this background that Bikram Yoga was developed and it is with this in mind that we are always saying, "anybody can do it." Those who continue to think of hatha yoga as only a measure of physical ability (flexibility, strength, balance) are missing the forest for the trees. Yes, we focus on postures, and specifically on our own ability to perform the postures, but the real benefits come from the insights we gain into the nature of our bodies as well as a deeper understanding of how our mind relates to the body. Read the full article at findbliss.com.

PS - I was taken aback when Craig wrote that Bikram has been, "professionally teaching hatha yoga from the age of six" but I'm pretty certain that's a typo. I assume it should read "sixteen".

A tip of the water bottle to Shasta for pointing me to the article.